


Five Degrees of Warmth

by JollyCat



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-19 21:36:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4761866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JollyCat/pseuds/JollyCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sean Renard and Nick Burkhardt have a complicated relationship: sometimes it heats up, sometimes it cools down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Degrees of Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> I discovered Grimm this spring, binge watched all four seasons and have read every Sean/Nick story I can find. I finally thought I should join in! This is my first venture into fanfiction in a very long time, my first Grimm story. Basically five short scenes, one from each series plus a 'what next'.

**Five Degrees of Warmth**

**1\. Cold**

(Three Coins in a Fuchsbau)

_He is so cold. Cold with loss, cold with shame, cold with anger. As Renard feels the cold soaking through him he thinks ..._

The coins of Zakynthos are gone and their loss is like an icy knife in his flesh, a grief with frozen thorns. Renard grabs Nick's coat desperately, "Nick, who took them? Who took them, Nick?" Even in his despair at the loss of the coins he sees the look on Nick's face as he lets go and pushes to his feet. Disgust. Disgust at him. Renard leans back against the concrete of the parking garage wall, feels the cold seeping through.

People are running up now, asking if he's ok, fussing. In all the years he's worked in this precinct he has never woged within it. He can feel it now though, under the surface - the rippling of his flesh, the urge to get all these people fluttering around him away for ever. It is anger at himself that is growing though. He clutched at Nick like a child, showed weakness where he has only ever shown strength.

Renard climbs to his feet, pulling his half-blood regality back into place. He insists, against much opposition, on driving himself home. Shuddering with cold even though the heater is turned up he vows he will show Detective Burkhardt how strong he is. He will make the Grimm need him, he will make him bow before him. Or maybe somehow he will make Nick owe him, even if only he, Renard, knows about it. At least at first.

 

**2\. Warming Up**

(Volcanalis)

_The feel of his hand against skin, firm flesh. It's so long since he's done this. As Renard feels the heat rise within him he thinks ..._

A Grimm, a wolf and a Zauberbiest walk into a bar. Sean Renard would not have believed at the start of the day that this is how it would end but here they are: Volcanalis nothing more than a pile of rubble and the three of them propping up a bar, craft beers in hand. Renard used his contacts to organise somewhere for Markus Hemmings to stay and then Nick had driven here without further discussion. Monroe is talking for all of them, Nick is smugly enjoying the re-telling of the success of his plan but Renard is just quietly appreciating the moment.

Waving Hank off on holiday that morning was a rare moment of camaraderie with Nick. Since the Grimm discovered Sean Renard's true nature and about the obsession between him and Juliettte these have been few and far between, even though he returned the key and willingly took the cure. Renard has been surprised to feel a peculiar sense of loss at the change. With Nick seated opposite him, telling him about the murder of a geologist and his suspicions, he'd seen his opportunity.

"Maybe I should help you with this one. You okay with that?" There had been slightly too long a pause before Nick agreed. Nevertheless he had agreed and once they left the office and worked together against a common threat there had been a relaxation between them. Now Renard keeps finding his eyes coming back to Nick, acutely aware of the moments when Nick's eyes rest on him. Monroe is still talking but Renard really has no idea what he's talking about. Nick drains his beer, "I'm beat. You two ready to head off?"

They pour Monroe into the back of Nick's car, where he promptly falls asleep, and head towards Renard's condo. The trailer, along with the equipment they've used, is going to spend the night in the garage there rather than being parked outside Monroe's house. Nick and Renard work together, manoeuvring the trailer into the space, getting the tarp over it securely. One of the gas tanks slips, both men reaching forward to catch it. The tank steadies and Renard is aware of how close Nick is, the warmth of him. One hand overlapping his, smaller but oh so definitely masculine. There is a long second when neither man moves before Nick straightens up, stands back, checks round the trailer a final time.

"8 ok to come and pick it back up?" He sounds completely normal, did Renard just imagine that moment? Renard finds his voice, "Sure, I'll meet you out front."

Nick heads towards the street exit, Renard pauses by the elevator, "Captain?" He turns and Nick gives him a smile (and he hasn't seen that in a while), "Thanks, thanks for your help."

Since Juliette, that one misguided night with Adalind, Renard has shied away from sex, even with himself. Now though, lying between his crisp cotton sheets he lets himself touch his own hot flesh. It is...permissible...to think about the day's events but he resolutely does not say, or even in the deepest recesses of his mind think, a name.

 

**3\. Hot (горячий)**

(Red Menace)

 _Renard looks at himself in the mirror, allowing himself just a trace of a smug smile as he thinks_...

Renard walks into the precinct, his mind still on the Russian healer, and feels the phone buzz in his pocket. He's been expecting the message from Sebastien so he ducks into the bathroom and into the farthest stall to read it. As he is about to leave he hears the door open, Nick's voice:

"Come on, you have to admit that was pretty damn hot, the Captain suddenly speaking Russian."

"I'll give you impressive." Hank's voice, amused. "It would be 'hot' if Jenny from the coffee van spoke in Russian, or that new ME. I'm not sure it's the word I'd use to describe the Captain."

"Ok, it was pretty damn _impressive_. I wonder how many languages he speaks?"

Renard resists the urge to appear and answer.

"You'll have to ask him that. Maybe he could give you lessons."

"Ha, it would be worth it just to see your face when I spoke Russian."

The two leave and Renard emerges, checking himself in the mirror. He likes 'impressive' but he likes 'hot' even more.

 

 

**4\. Chilled.**

(Tribunal)

 _Renard ends the call but continues to look at the phone as though the screen is going to provide an answer. What can this call mean? He tries hard not to think.._.

The press conference is the start of a very busy day. Even if Renard just had to deal with what they're saying happened it would be complicated enough but he's also having to juggle a complicated mesh of half truths to cover up the Wesen aspect. Still, Monroe and Bud Wurstner are ok, everybody got through the night unscathed and the Wesenrein members are not going to be causing trouble again. As he lifts his head from his paperwork he can see Nick and Hank at their desks, also supposedly deep in paperwork but at the moment deep in conversation. With his Royal upbringing he can spot plotting when he sees it.

An hour later Renard decides the need for decent coffee outweighs the risks of the press pack outside and puts on his coat. As soon as he leaves his office Nick falls into step beside him and Renard raises an enquiring eyebrow.

"Ah, Captain, you have a minute?"

"Official or unofficial business?"

Nick grins, "I think this might fall under 'unofficial use of official property' at a guess."

His eyebrow rises higher. "If that's the case I imagine I'm going to need coffee more than ever. Walk down with me."

"Have you heard from Monroe? They've asked us all to join them tonight for a drink before they leave for their honeymoon."

Renard had checked his phone earlier and had been surprised by the invitation. One way or another he knows Monroe and Rosalee quite well now, but they have never socialised. He guesses helping rescue people from a gang of homicidal fanatics moves a relationship on - although he still intends to politely refuse of course. "Well," says Nick, "It's their honeymoon I wanted to talk to you about."

They are discussing the (mis) appropriation of patrol cars to escort the happy honeymooners to the airport when they arrive at the coffee shop. It seems only natural to continue the conversation inside. The shop is busy and they sit at a very small table to make their plans. It's on these rare occasions that Renard wonders at the signals Nick sends him: he's tried to fold his long legs a polite distance from Nick's but somehow the warm contact keeps following him. Nick's laughing up at him with those long-lashed eyes...well, a man can occasionally dream. Renard sternly tells himself to think about Juliette, Nick and Juliette. Nevertheless he will go to Monroe's tonight.

It's much later when Renard unlocks his front door. It's been a good day on many levels: a major case officially wrapped up, Monroe and Rosalee finally away, a surprisingly convivial evening. His phone rings and for a second he thinks to ignore it but habit already has the phone in his hand. The screen shows 'Juliette'. He has no idea yet what the call is about but he is suddenly chilled.

 

**5\. Warmth**

_Renard looks down at Nick, fast asleep in his house. He's not entirely sure how this happened, other than that as far as the authorities are concerned he's Nick's commanding officer, his home a refuge for a troubled subordinate. In reality there has been so much between them - coins, keys, Juliette, Adalind, Jack, too many lies, too much truth - that he has no idea what the relationship between them is anymore. He thinks..._

 

Since Juliette's death Nick is almost out of control; Renard's trying to give him a long leash whilst fighting his own battles to deal with the events of the last few weeks. Renard is leaving the precinct when the call comes in and he waits for Nick in the parking garage. It's hardly his favourite place but he wants to do this as discreetly as possible. When Nick arrives it is in the back seat of a patrol car, never a good place to find a serving officer, and the two patrolmen escort him to Renard's car as though he can't be trusted for that short distance. Renard has seen many expressions on Nick's face over the years but never such total, despairing exhaustion. He isn't sure whether it is the Zauberbiest, the Royal or just old-fashioned human male but his overwhelming urge is to sweep Nick into his arms, get every bit of him in contact that is possible and howl defiance at anyone who dares to come close. Instead he opens the car door, ushers Nick inside and drives, pretty much in silence.

Once in Renard's house Nick stands looking out of the window at the view of the river. Renard takes off his jacket and tie and moves to the kitchen - he isn't hungry and doubts Nick is but he needs something to do. He's contemplating making a sandwich when he's suddenly aware Nick is behind him and turns.

"Last time I was here we thought Jack the Ripper had been in your house."

"He was. Inside my house, inside me."

"And you really didn't know?"

"I knew something was wrong with me but no, I didn't know."

He wouldn't talk about this with anyone else but talking about anything with Nick seems better than silence at the moment. There is a long pause but Renard can see that Nick is trying to find the words for something.

"Do you think Juliette was really a Hexenbiest? I mean she was so out of control, so not like she really was - could she have been ... possessed? You're a Zauberbiest, how is that different from having Jack the Ripper inside you?"

"The Zauberbiest is me, it's not separate, an entity within me, I'm a Zauberbiest whatever face I wear." How hard has he tried to deny that truth to himself over the years? Now he's saying it to the man probably least likely to want to hear it. "I think Juliette was a Hexenbiest, it's just the way it happened, the strength she suddenly had...it was hard for her to cope."

"But she was still herself? When it comes to it she was still Juliette?"

"I don't really know the answer...I'm sorry."

"You're a Zauberbiest but you've never been like Juliette became."

Nick is so close and looks so lost that Renard reaches a hand towards him, even though he's sure his touch would not, could not be welcome. And yet at his touch Nick moves forward, not away, and holds Renard close. He has the most open expression Renard has seen for a very long time and he's tilting his head as though he wants to be kissed.

This is the last thing Renard expected. Oh, he's wanted it, imagined it enough times over the years but... is this a good idea? Is this going to be some strange revenge? Given how complicated things are between them can this possibly go well? He really doesn't realise he must have said this out loud until Nick answers with his own question.

"Sean, on a scale of 1 to 10 just how complicated would you say things are between us?"

Well that's an easy one.

"10, definitely 10."

"So it can't possibly get more complicated?"

Renard - Sean - is sure there's a flaw in the logic somewhere but he can't see it just at the moment. He leans down and kisses Nick.

Much later Sean looks down at Nick, fast asleep in his house, in his bed, in his arms. Well, he has no idea where this is going to go but for the moment he's just enjoying the warmth.


End file.
